Improvement in corn-planters



2 SheetsSheet 1. J. B. GREENE.

CORN-PLANTER.

No. 192,255, Patentedlune 19,1877.

-PETER3, PHOT-O-UTHOGRAPNER WASHINGTON D C Z Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. B. GREENE.

CORN-PLANTER.

Patented June 19, 1877.

No.19Z,Z55.

N'PEFERS, PHOTO-UTHOGRAPEIER, WASHINGTON. D C) JAMES B. GREENE, OFGOATESVILLE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOB ()F ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TO NELSON GREENE,OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN CORN-PLANTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 192,255, dated June 19,1877; application filed March 16, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES BRAMWELL GREENE, of Ooatesville,in the countyof Hendricks and State of Indiana, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Corn-Planters, which improvement is fully set forth inthe following specification and accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to that class of cornplanters in which revolvingdisk-droppers are employed.

The draft-frame is hung upon the axle of the supporting-wheels,arrdcarries gear-pin ions, which match with gear-wheels, on the axle, saidgear being arranged at each side of the frame, and constituting theoperating mechanism for the dropping devices. These dropping devices arearranged upon the outer rear corners of a supplemental frame, also hungupon the axle inside of the main frame, in a manner to bring thedrill-tubes in positions in rear of the supporting roller-wheels andoutside of the operating-gearing. The dropping of the corn is efl'ectedby revolving perforated disks, which form the bottoms of the hoppers,and which are provided on their under sides with bevel-pinions, adaptedto gear with like pinions on the rear outer ends of the main frame, andconnected with the side train of gear, and, by such adaptation, drivethe droppers by maintaining their pinions in gear by the partial weightof the sup plemental frame.

This will be readily understood, as such frame hangs upon the axle inposition to bring the dropper-pinions in gear with the drive-pinions onthe main frame.

By this arrangement the dropper-frame is rendered independent of themain frame, in order that it may be raised to stop the plauting and takethe drill-tubes out of the ground whenever it is desired to do so, andthis without shifting or interfering with the gear. The descent of thesupplemental frame brings the droppers at once into gear with theoperating mechanism. The forward end of this frame extends beyond theaxle and beneath the inner end of the tongue, so as to rest against it.and form a stop to relieve the whole weight; of the supplemental framefrom the drivingpinions of the main frame, as such pinions, beingcarried by short axles, would be liable to be broken off or be subjectto too great strain. h

This construction also relieves the dropping-disks from too greatfriction upon the hoppers, and causes the disks to run easier, and theirsupporting angle-irons are rendered free from upward strain by thedropper-counection therewith. In fact, it makes a sort of balance forthe working pinions of the two frames.

The droppers and their hoppers are carried by angle -irons, which areadapted to carry the drill-tubes and the bearings for the short verticalaxles of the revolving dropping-disks, thus making a strong and durableattachment of these parts to the rear bar of the supplemental frame.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 repreresents a top view of a machineembracing my invention; Fig. 2, a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3, avertical longitudinal section, showing the supplemental frame elevatedto throw its droppers out of gear and elevate its drill-tubes; Fig. 4.,a similar section, showing these parts in the positions they occupy forplanting; and Fig. 5, a section of the dropping-disks.

The main frame A is hung upon the carrying-wheels O O, and the tongue D,having a fixed connection with such frame, is connected to said axle bya loop or eye, E, to allow of the turning of the axle A.

A supplemental frame, F, is also hung upon the axle by two piecesarranged Within the side beams of the main frame, and in such relationthereto as to be capable of being raised and lowered independentlythereof, and carry I.

the seed-hoppers and drill-tubes, in rear of the supportingroller-wheels, upon a cross-beam, G, to the projecting ends of whichsaid hoppers are secured, so as to bring the drill-tubes iron J securedto the outer rear corners of the supplemental frame and extending inwardtoward the supporting-wheels.

The drill-tube of each hopper extends downward from the inner end ofthis angle-iron, and is a fixture therewith.

To the under side of each dropping-disk a bevel'pinion, e, is secured,fitting within the ring-plate d, and having its short vertical shaftinbearings f in the angle-iron; theringplate, therefore, forms thebearingfor the dropping-disk, and allows the free working of itsoperating-pinion, while the an gle-iron sustains these several partsindependent of the hopper. (See Fig. 5.)

The driving-gear consists of three spurwheels, relatively proportionedfor a special purpose, and arranged to match with each other upon theouter sides of the side beams of the main frame.

Of these, the two largest ones, R R, are mounted upon the axle, and thetwo smaller ones, S S and TT, are mounted upon short axles on the outersides of the main frame. Upon the axles of the smallest pinions T T, andsecured to such pinions, are bevel-pinions U U of equal diameters withthe pinions e of the dropper-disks, and arranged in relation thereto soas to engage and operate the droppers when the supplemental frame islowered to working position. As this frame hangs with its full weight atthe rear of the machine it would hear too heavily upon the short axlesof the operating-gear of the main frame, and to avoid this thesupplemental frame extends in front of the axle a short distance andbeneath the tongue, and by means of a front cross-bar, F is supportedagainst the tongue, and holds the rear of the supple mental frame frompressing down too heavy upon the lower pinions, and at the same timerelieves the dropper-disks from undue friction and upward pressure uponthe hoppers, and takes off all undue weight and pressure from theangle-iron supports by giving a sort of balance matching of thedropper-gear with the lower pinions.

The main frame has a tiebar, V, connecting and bracing its rear ends.The.- supplemental frame israised by means of a handlever, W, pivoted toits front end and connected by a chain, X, to an arm 3 at the rear ofsaid frame, in position to bring the chain over a pulley, 2, on the rearinner side of the main frame. WVhen thus raised the handlever is held bya catch, g, on the supplemental frame and near the drivers seat Y, whichis mounted upon the tongue, so as to bring his weight over the axle.

The drill-tubes have covers Z attached to their lower ends to cover thedropped seed.

The supporting-wheels are of large diameter, and have broad treads, andform, in effect, rollers to roll the ground before the drilltubes, andpulverize the earth and give it a mellow condition to receive the grain.

The planting in check-rows is effected in the following manner:

The supporting roller-wheels U are, say, seven feet eight inches incircumference, and the axle spur-wheels twenty inches, the intermediatepinions being five inches, and the revolving droppers ten inches indiameter. One revolution of the supporting or roller wheels will passover seven feet eight inches of ground, giving the dropperdisks tworevolutions, and thus drop the seed every three feet ten inches, whichis the distance across between the droppers. By crossing a line on oneach side of the field, so as to start even from the point the seed waslast dropped before turning the machine, it is plain that the field willbe planted both ways, or in check-rows.

The machine can be adapted as a drill by substituting dropper-diskshaving two or more holes, thus combining planter and drill. Severalgrains of corn may be dropped at the same time by having the hole 0large enough, and a shield may be placed over the hole to regulate thefilling of the holes. is elastic.

I claim- 1. The supplemental frame F hung upon the axle A, the hoppersH, their droppingdisks a, pinions e, and drill-tubes I arranged at theouter ends of said frame-bar G, in combination with the draft-frame A,having the operating-gearing R S T U arranged outside of both frames,and between the outside frame and the hoppers and their droppingdevices, as and for the purpose described. 7

2. The seed-dropping devices arranged upon the outer rear corners of thesupplemental frame F, outside of the operating-gearing, and in rear ofand in line with the supporting roller-wheels, said supplemental framebeing adapted to be raised and lowered upon the axle to put its plantingdevices in or out of gear without regard to the operating'gearing,substantially as herein set forth.

3. The angle-irons J combined with the supplemental frame F, thedropper-disks a, the

gearing for the dropper-disks and the tongue v D of the machine, wherebythe weight of the rear portion of the supplemental frame is relievedfrom the short axles of the operatinggear of the draft-frame, asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

JAMES BRAMWELL GREENE. Witnesses: Y

E. R. ELLIs, T. H. PIERSON.

This shield

